Entries from Expedition Dispatches
Wow, what a day! After waking at 3:30 am to leave the hotel we drove for a few hours only to wake to the sunrise and Salkantay Peak, 20,500 ft dominating the horizon.
After getting our gear rigged for the horses and porters the team started up a dusty road passing through small settlements above the Rio Blanco. 'Mountain Plush' is how I'll describe our living and eating arrangements due to our hard working local crew. Upon retiring from our dining tent during lunch, members of the team napped in the sun and gentle breeze before ascending the final stretch into camp.
We are currently camped beneath Salkantay at 14,500 ft with tent doors open and our feet hanging out enjoying beautiful views of the glaciers, seracs and fluted snow couloirs.
The team is doing great and sends their love to friends and family who are following along. Tomorrow we ascend to our high point of Incachiriasca pass, 16,010.
RMI Guide Mike King
Posted by: Mark Tucker
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
Wonderful day of game viewing. Ngorongoro Crater was the place to be. We did fine work of observing and filming all day. Perfect weather had to be dealt with and thousands of animals needed to be filmed. We made you all proud back home with our drive and our drivers. Eric and Joseph maneuvered us around the crater rim to floor with ease and grace. Not to mention Michele presented us with yet another tasty lunch in the bush. A hippo downwind made a move in our direction getting out of the pond to check out the bill o' fare but please observe do not approach and or feed the wildlife.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
The Five Day Summit Climb team turned at Ingraham Flats this morning due to high winds with strong gusts up to 50 MPH. RMI Guide Sid Pattison and team have spend two days on Mt. Rainier, during that time they have experienced some light snow fall and windy conditions. The team will be starting their descent from Camp Muir at around 9 am this morning and arrive here at RMI Basecamp early this afternoon.
Congratulations to today's team!
The Mt. Rainier Summit Climb, led by JJ Justman, made the decision to turn early this morning. With winds gusts reaching 50 mph and new snow, the team spun at Ingraham Flats (11,200'). Safe and sound back at Camp Muir, they will eat some breakfast before the begin their descent back to Paradise.
Glad to hear all are safe- hoping your climb, though shortened, was still a great adventure!
Posted by: Nan Slone on 8/3/2016 at 11:31 am
Glad you are safe and sound.
Posted by: Marcie McGuire on 8/3/2016 at 8:29 am
Posted by: Casey Grom, Billy Nugent
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Elbrus Southside
Well we had a really nice last day in Russia yesterday. We began the day meeting with our tour guide, Galina, and headed out on a quick tour of St. Petersburg. We stopped off at St. Nicholas Church, stopped by the grand St. Isaac's Cathedral and made our way to the famous Heritage Museum. Not having a ton of time to see the thousands of exhibits so we did and express trip to see the highlights, which included a few paintings and sculptures by Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, and other great artist. It was pretty amazing to see so much art in one place and everyone enjoyed the brief visit.
We took a short break before meeting back up with our tour guide for a evening canal tour via boat of this historical city, which was a great way to wrap up a wonderful trip.
That's all for this trip! The team heads home tomorrow. Thanks for following us.
RMI Guide Casey Grom and crew
Posted by: Mike King
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Peru Seminar
Today the group toured the Urubamba River Valley that was and continues to be a fertile farming area for the local people of Cusco. With large varieties of corn and potatoes being grown, we could see terraces that the Inca used reaching well above 12,000 ft.
We had several stops on our way to Ollantaytambo, a wonderful Incan site featuring farming terraces, ceremonial stone work and intact buildings used for storing food. Our impromptu stop to sample chicha, a fermented corn drink that locals enjoy while playing a fun coin toss style yard game also yielded two cute puppies sleeping by a fire and a guinea pig farm. Cuy, or guinea pig, is a common form of protein consumed by locals and tourists alike.
We wrapped the day finalizing our packs for an early departure. Tomorrow morning we begin our Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu, the entire group is excited to leave Cusco.
RMI Guide Mike King
Not there yet?? Steve, I thought you’d have run all the way up on the first day ;P Sounds like you are having lots of fun on the way!! Hope the weather holds out for you all and you have enjoyable travels back down.
Posted by: Audrey on 8/8/2016 at 7:43 am
Sounds exciting, wish we were young enough to join your excursions.
Posted by: Uncle John Aunt Jan on 8/3/2016 at 7:26 pm
Posted by: Elias de Andres Martos, Eric Frank
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Peru Seminar
Elevation: 12,430'
Good evening from Huaripampa, our camp on our way to Artesonraju Base. For the writer here, starting the Santa Cruz trek from this side has been a revelation of yet undiscovered beauty. We're currently enjoying an incredible dinner of fresh trout, zucchini soup and fried banana, fueling for tomorrow's hike. We're all enjoying social time and laughter inside or pyramidal dining tent.
Stay tuned on our progress,
RMI Guides ElÃas de Andres Martos, Eric Frank, Peter and team
Sounds amazing! Have a great climb!
Posted by: Jim Thayer on 8/4/2016 at 6:58 am
Sounds yummy! Happy climbing (and eating!)
Posted by: Pam on 8/3/2016 at 5:19 am
Posted by: Mark Tucker
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
Safari is on! That's it, I am buying a good camera. The photos taken today were impressive by one of the team members, shown on his computer screen downloaded at dinner was fantastic. To get so near a wild animal and feel no threat is an unusual experience unless you do it all the time. Such a thrill to relive the game viewing later. So many and such a great diversity in such a short time span, tough to take it all in at the moment. Look out cover of National Geographic, we are well under way. Lake Manyara was a nice tour this afternoon after a leisurely departure from the Dik Dik hotel this morning. Tomorrow the Ngorongoro Crater, better go charge my camera battery.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, JM Gorum
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Elbrus Northside
We have all assembled in the Russian capital city of Moscow. Most of the group arrived this afternoon after nearly 24 hours, or in some cases more, of traveling. Needless to say, everyone is tired, a bit jetlagged, and we're still waiting on a few bags, but psyched to be here and ready to go. We caught a great dinner down the street at a gastropub, and then are now headed to bed to sleep off the travel and be ready for our tour of the Kremlin and nearby cathedrals tomorrow. Thanks for following our Russian adventure, we'll be in touch again soon.
RMI Guides Pete Van Deventer & JM Gorum and team
Have fun dad! Can’t wait to see you in a few weeks! -Mitch F.
Posted by: Mitch Freeman on 8/5/2016 at 10:56 am
Great expedition Pete + crew…Methinks you are a rookie to Russia right ? Best Waltero
Posted by: Walter Glover on 8/3/2016 at 4:00 am
RMI Guide Tyler Reid and the Four Day Summit Climb July 30 - 2 August reached the summit of Mt. Rainier early this morning. The team reported cold and windy temperatures but clear skies about 8,500'. The team will return to Camp Muir for a short break before continuing down to Paradise this afternoon. We will look them at Rainier BaseCamp this afternoon as they celebrate their accomplishment.
Congratulations to today's Summit Climb team!
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Wow! What an awesome adventure the team has been on this week! So glad all of you are safe.
Posted by: Olivia Young on 8/3/2016 at 8:41 am
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